Calculating-machine.



F. H. BICKFQHU. 'CALCULATING MACHINE. APPLCTION FILED JULY 5, 191|.

Patented June 5, 1917.

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PEANK II.` PIcKEoED, oEKINesfIoN, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIsNoPu To PHE AEEEE MACHINE COMPANY, or wILKEs-EAEEE, PENNSYLVANIA, A coEPoEAIIoN or PENNSYLVANIA.

rassen.

' Application led J' uly 5, 1911.

To all lwhom it may concern: l

Be it knownthat I, FRANK H. BICIIFORD, a citizen oftheUn'ited States, residing at Kingston, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Calculating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in adding or calculating machines, and more particularly to means for adjusting `the relations of the parts and for preventingor taking up Wear.

Such means comprises an adjustable, hardened plate having a contact face, and adapted to be secured to any part of the machine subjected to wear or battering, which part cannot be readily hardened.`

rlhe invention has been found very useful in the assembly of calculating machines, to enable the parts to be accurately lined up or adjusted, and for maintaining suchvadjustment by reducing` wear and eliminating distortion or battering.

In the present instance, the invention isv illustrated in connection with the well known Wales calculating machine, the

numeral wheels of which are turned by spring-propelled racks normally held at rest by a restoring device operated by the main or drive shaft. Upon the forward stroke of said shaft, the restoring device is withdrawn to permit the racks to drive forwardly under their spring tension until ar rested by ley-controlled stops previously set up in the paths of said racks.

The main shaft on its return stroke causes the restoring device to return the operated racks to their positions of rest. In the adding operation of the machine, the racks during their return, rotate the numeral wheels the proper distance to display the correct numerals yat the reading line.

In taking a total of the amounts accumulated on the numeral wheels, or in clearing the machine, thewheels, by appropriate mechanism, engage said racks prior to the advance thereof, after which, and during the forward stroke of the main shaft, which withdraws the restoring member, the racks are propelled to rotate the numeral wheels to zero or starting position. The main shaft,

on its return stroke, first effects the disen` gagement of the numeral wheels fromfthe racks and then compels the restoration of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten June 5, mit.

serialNo. 637,018.

The wheels are, preferably, provided with y pinions to engage the racks and it is desirable that the teeth of the pinions drop into or enter the interdental spaces of the racks accurately without rolling, which rolling might confuse the operator, though it would not affect the accuracy of the machine, and the invention, as applied in this embodiment, provides means to position the racks relatively' to the pinions so that said pinions may properly mesh with said racks.

Furthermore,the contact of the restoring member with the racks or their supports was also liable to batter the parts and, by its rubbing action, would in time, cause undue wear so that said racks would not be re turned quite to their former positions of rest.

Another obj ect of this invention is to provide means tending to prevent such wear and battering of the parts.

Though the invention is illustrated in connection with a Wales calculating ma'- chine, its use is not conned thereto, nor to the particular mechanism to which it is applied.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a detail side view of parts of aVales adding and calculating machine provided with one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a detailperspective of the adjusting stud.

Fig. 3 is a section showing the-invention applied. l

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the wearresisting plate, and

Fig. 5 is a similar view of one of the racksupporting arms to which the wear-plate is applied.

Numeral wheels II are mounted to turn on a laterally shiftable ailley I. .Pinions I-I fixed to turn with the wheels II mesh with racks 1 on rack-bars F when the axle is shifted in one direction by appropriate mechanism, not shown. Said rack-bars are pivotally supported at 2 and 8 by front and rear arms Gr and G swingino' on rods M2 and Q mounted in the frame oi' the machine, and are normally urged in one direction by springs J8. A restoring bail J5, to which the forward ends ofthe springs J8 may be secured, contacts with the front arms Gr to 4 members, and having its working face proj ectable beyond said member to be contacted by the other member; and a stud journaled in the member bearing the plate, and having an eccentric head entered in' an aperture in the plate, to adjust the latter.

3. The combination with coperating members, at least one of which is shiftable, said members being required to maintain a predetermined relation; of means to compensate for the wear of one of said members and effective to maintain said predetermined adjustment; and self-locking means to adjust the compensating means and to hold it where adjusted.

4. In a calculating machine, the combination with coperating members, at least one of which is shiftable; of an adjustment for said members, comprising a wear plate shiftably connected to one of said members for movement relatively thereto; said plate having an aperture; and an eccentricentered in the aperture to adjust the plate.

5. The combination with coperating members, at least one of which is shiftable; of an adjustment for said members, comprising a wear plate having an elongated slot; a pin passing through the slot to connect the plate to its member; said plate having an aperture; and an eccentric entered in said aperture to adjust the plate.

6. The combination with coperating members, at least one of which is shiftable; of

an adjustment therefor, comprising a wear plate interposed between and carried by one of said members, and adapted for both longitudinal and lateral shifting; and means to adjust the plate.

7. The combination with coperating members, at least one of which is shiftable; of a wear plate shiftably mounted on one of the members to maintain a predetermined adjustment of the members; and a self-locking means to shift the plate to, and hold it in, adjusted position.

8. The combination with coperating members; of a wear compensatoradjustably supported on one of the members and having a face projectable beyond the edge of the supporting member to be contacted by the coacting member; and an eccentric mounted in the supporting member and in direct contact with the compensator to adjust the latter relatively to the coacting member.

9. The combination with coperating members; of a wear compensator adjustably supported on one of the members and having a face projectable beyond the edge of the supporting member to be contacted by the coacting member; and a stud journaled in the supporting member and having an eccentric head fitted in an aperture in the compensator to adjust the latter and lock it where adjusted.

10. The ycombination with coperating members; of an adjustment therefor, including a compensating late shiftably mounted on one of said mem ers to move therewith, and contact the other of said members; and self-locking means to adjust the shiftable plate to, and hold it in, adjusted position.

l1. The combination with coperating members; of an adjustment therefor, including a wear compensator interposed between themembers, and having an elongated slot; a fastening passing through the slot to pivotally secure the compensator to one of said members; the compensator having an aperture; and an eccentric entered in the aperture to adjust the compensator relatively to its supporting member.

12. The combination with coperating members; ofan adjustment therefor, including a wear compensator interposed between the members, and adapted for both a longitudinal and a lateral shifting movement; and means to adjust the wear compensator.

13. The combination with coperating members; of an adjustment therefor, including a wear compensator interposed between the members, and adapted for both a longitudinal and a lateral movement; and selflocking means to adjust the wear compensator.

FRANK I-I. BICKFORD. In the presence of CHAs. V. VrLeUs, FRED ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

